Willie John McBride on Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding: It's time they were back playing rugby

Latest: A former captain of Ireland and the Lions has told the 'Today with Sean O'Rourke' programme on RTÉ Radio 1 that Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding should be "back to doing what they do best and that is playing rugby".

Willie John McBride on Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding: It's time they were back playing rugby

Update - 11.05am: A former captain of Ireland and the Lions has told the 'Today with Sean O'Rourke' programme on RTÉ Radio 1 that Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding should be "back to doing what they do best and that is playing rugby".

Paddy Jackson, 26, and Stuart Olding, 25, were unanimously acquitted in Belfast Crown Court last month of raping the same woman at a party at Jackson's south Belfast home in June 2016. Jackson was also found not guilty of sexual assault.

Today, a Belfast court is to consider whether reporting restrictions imposed during the Belfast rape trial should now be lifted.

Also today, an ad was placed in the Belfast Telegraph calling for Jackson and Olding to be reinstated to the Ulster rugby team.

Willie John McBride, President of the Official Supporters Club of Ulster Rugby, said this morning that while he does not know the men at all, he felt that it was time they were allowed back to the game, having been found not guilty.

He said: "As far as I'm concerned, these young men have learned their lesson. It's time they got back to doing what they do best and that is playing rugby."

We've all done silly things.

The former Ireland international told Sean O'Rourke that, while he does not understand WhatsApp, he found it very sad and silly that they got involved in this.

"There's no question about it', Mr McBride said "that these WhatsApp messages brought the game into disrepute".

When put to Mr McBride the amount of alcohol taken by Olding, he laughed saying "he's some drinker", before adding that he did not believe that that was the amount he had that night, even though that was the evidence given.

Mr McBride, referring to past Lions Tour controversies that were not taken as seriously or given the same amount of exposure, then said: "Alcohol is one of the biggest problems in all of these things."

He also said that Ulster Rugby should not have to apologise for the behaviour of the two men, but they should be reprimanded.

Willie John McBride.
Willie John McBride.

He said: "You can't be held responsible for their conduct in off-time, if you want to put it that way.

However, he said that they both conducted themselves very well while on camera every day throughout the trial.

He said: "They carried themselves very well through that, hopefully people will see that these are not bad young men."

6.26am: Court to consider reporting restrictions as new ad calls for Jackson and Olding to be reinstated

A Belfast court is to due to consider whether reporting restrictions imposed during the Belfast rape trial should now be lifted.

The move comes as an advertisement has been placed in today's Belfast Telegraph calling for Ulster Rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding to be reinstated.

Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted of raping the same woman at Jackson's home in Belfast in June 2016.

However, the media were banned from reporting on legal arguments that took place in the absence of the jury.

A hearing on whether that order should be lifted is due to be heard today before the trial judge Patricia Smyth.

An advertisement placed in today's Belfast Telegraph and funded by more than 100 supporters, described the backlash against the men as "cyber prosecution".

It follows a similar crowdfunded campaign in the paper last week calling for the players to be sacked.

- Digital Desk

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